Campaigners aim to shine a light on closure of DLI Museum

A retired police officer is helping lead a campaign calling for a rethink on the future of a museum linked to a military regiment that recruited in Hartlepool and East Durham.

Retired police officer John Stephenson, 47, from Horden, is a key member of the group Save the DLI group hoping to halt plans for the DLI Museum in Durham city.

The group has already attracted more than 25,000 members to its Facebook page, with more than 7,500 names added to a 38 Degrees petition asking Durham County Council to stop the move.

In addition to opposing the proposed move of the collection to Spennymoor, the campaign believes any redevelopment of the site, near County Hall in Durham, would upset the families of soldiers whose ashes have been scattered in the grounds.

Sunday at 6pm will see the group gather in the Market Place in Durham.

Campaigners have asked for people to join them dressed in green and take along a torch with a filter of the same colour to represent the uniform of the regiment.

They expect around 500 people to attend.

Mr Stephenson said: “The DLI was the top regiment for the county and it has a huge history.

“The history about the sacrifice these men and others made who were from our area should be where our families can see it in the future.”

The council has said its plans would mean the exhibits at the museum would be seen by a wider audience and it is stored now is expensive and inefficient.

“It also says the building requires “significant investment” with and the stores for the collection no longer secure.